Amber Marchese’s Husband Has a Shady Past…

I was working on a quick RHONJ blog round-up, that I will still publish, but I suddenly realized that I needed a whole post just for Amber. I’ve received a some information over the past few days that I was not sure I was going to use, and if I was how I was going to use it. It happens a lot. I read something interesting but don’t always feel compelled to share everything here. After reading the first page of Amber’s blog I thought I should flesh out a few things that she is not sharing. And since it was the focus of a New York Times article or two, I’ve decided to fill you guys in. So, it’s tea time at Tamaratattles.com !

Amber’s blog begins with her giving A LOT of background on her life. She mentions that she is the step-mother to their two oldest boys. It’s unclear whether they have full-time custody. Jim has previously attempted to get custody but failed. Amber says that she and Jim have been married for eight years. She does not mention Jim’s shady past. But I will!

First, it’s math time again! Amber’s blog says her stepson, Michael, is 14 so he was likely born in 2000 and Sebastian age 11 was likely born in 2003 give or take a few months. Back in 2002, Jim Marchese was living in Seattle, Washington married to his former wife. He worked for a company called Cell Therapeutics. It was a pharmaceutical company that was marketing a cancer drug for a very rare form of cancer, affecting only 1,500 patients per year. That small market would not provide any profits for a drug company to be motivated to create a drug.

Cell Therapeutics fired Jim in 2002 alleging he was taking kickbacks from physicians. Jim has denied any wrong doing . A few months later, Jim went to the FDA to “blow the whistle” on Cell Therapeutics claiming that the company was illegally promoting the drug as a viable treatment for more commonly occurring forms of cancer than the tiny population the FDA had approved the drug to treat. Basically, they were alleged to have paid doctors bogus consulting fees to attend seminars encouraging them to use the drug for “off label” purposes.

Now, the deal with these big whistleblower lawsuits is that the person who brings the goods, in this case Jim, gets a cut of the fines levied against the company. The whistleblower usually gets between 15% and 25% of the award by the court. Jim stood to gain $2.8 million dollars.

But that all sort of fell apart when prosecutors determined that Jim was the mastermind of the entire scheme he reported to the FDA! You can read the entire NYT article here, but here is the juicy part.

Prosecutors contend Mr. Marchese engineered a complex scheme that misled oncologists and Medicare into believing that Trisenox had been approved for treating cancers other than A.P.L. Mr. Marchese said that if he did anything wrong, it was an innocent mistake. (Editor’s note, sounds just like Teresa and Joe!)

To make matter worse, prosecutors say, Mr. Marchese destroyed and hid evidence to conceal his role.

A main witness against him is a former girlfriend. She told prosecutors that she accompanied Mr. Marchese in 2004 to a storage warehouse in New Jersey to retrieve company documents for his planned whistle-blower lawsuit against Cell Therapeutics. But she said he told her that he needed to cull the files and destroy materials that would implicate him, filings show. (Editor’s note: Who needs a storage unit to house files from work?)

There is also the issue of an unpublished manuscript by Mr. Marchese, “The Heart of the Matter.” The salesman’s former girlfriend, who is not identified by name in filings, has told prosecutors that she read and helped edit the manuscript, which she says details Mr. Marchese’s days at Cell Therapeutics, including his “successful efforts to illegally market Trisenox.”

For this reason the prosecutors said that he did not deserve any compensation for providing all of the necessary documents to implicate Cell Therapeutics at all. According to the NYT article, this is Jim’s reasoning for being paid.

Mr. Marchese said he had paid a high personal price for talking to the government, including being blackballed from the drug industry.

“I’ve lost six years of my life, my job, my home,” he said. “It has destroyed my marriage and made my life hell.”

When I initially investigated this story, I read that the court, in 2007 awarded him $1.8 million dollars. According to Amber’s blog she had been married to Jim for eight years, placing their wedding at 2006. Jim’s whistleblowing case began in 2002 which means he had been expecting a big pay out since then. Ahem.

One more fun fact about Jim, his cousin is Lori- Ann Marchese one of the wingnuts on Game of Crowns. This tidbit was shared by Dina on WWHL who gave the distinct impression she is NOT found of Jim.

So make of that what you will. Now back to the blog, which isn’t anywhere as interesting as the above.

The comment that I made about Melissa “going about success a different way than me by marrying wealth” was not a fair statement, and I want to apologize to Melissa. That comment sounds like I was referring to her a “gold digger.” I do not believe that in any way. Melissa is a college graduate and has always been a hard worker. She always had her head on straight and worked hard for goals. I think this is one of the reasons we got along so well, we had a mutual respect for one another. What I failed to articulate with that comment is that she dreamed of getting married and having a family early on in her life. She aspired early on to be an amazing wife and mother that she truly is today. I am proud of her.

And about TwinTre:

As for the twins, I do care for them, so it hurts to hear Teresa and Rino make such nasty comments about my party and family. The twins were aware of the importance of the party and that it was meant to be an intimate evening. I tried to accommodate them the best we could when they wanted to invite thirty additional guests to my party just one week prior, but clearly that did not seem to make them happy. To hear TA-RE-SA refer to my child as a “little fucking kid” as she left just tore me up. She knows my children; my daughter absolutely adores them both. It was hurtful to hear her say that. A simple rule of etiquette: when a young gentleman, regardless of age, properly greets you at the door, offers to take your shawl and escorts you into a room of guests, you do not refer to him as a “little fucking kid.” For the record, she was referring to my 7 year old son and he properly put her shawl in the closet next to the front entrance.

And about TwinTre’s drunk husband Rino:

As for Rino, I am not really interested in his opinions of my party. I don’t sit here insulting his restaurants. He was a guest at a very meaningful event for me and my family, but he clearly did not care. It was apparent Rino cannot hold his alcohol. He was so drunk that he was making my dog extremely nervous and slurred something about Bugs Bunny and funerals. Sorry, Rino, our party did not meet your expectations.

Sidenote: Thank god drunk people don’t make Banjo nervous! 🙂

And Dina’s comments about her party:

Speaking of Dina, I got a good vibe from her. She seems nice and I love what she does to help children with cancer. She gets an “A” in my books. Side note, did she really mean to comment about the snowy walkway after showing up three hours after the party started? We had cleared and salted ten times over by that point. Anyway, she seems nice enough, but only time will tell.

Whether or not we like Amber, I think we can agree there will be A LOT to talk about! So let’s get started!

Comments

So Amber and Melissa got along because they’re both gold diggers , gotcha! Also I know Melissa claims she graduated from college, as confirmed by Amber in her blog, but is this really true? I always got the sense she was lying.

I looked it up and she went to New Jersey City University in Jersey City, NJ. I have lived in NJ for almost forty years and I never heard of the school. I actually lived in Hoboken-located right next to Jersey City and I never heard it mentioned. It has under 7,000 students.

I do not find anything remotely funny about this situation and I am stunned at the betrayal by Amber’s husband. My looks do not tell the story of what I have been challenged with throughout my life. I am very sensitive all cancer patients or anyone suffering with medical issues. I apologize to all if I seemed rude.

Amber’s husband really thought the fix was in, and tried the double-double cross with the Feds. For the life of me, I cannot understand how people with cadavers in their closets continue to sign up for these reality shows. There is a long list of suspect rumors beyond Apollo and Joe and Tre circling several personalities on or connected to all of the housewives shows. I do not comprehend how these people seem to think no one will look into their past and reveal the torrid details to the public. Bravo should do a better job of vetting its Bravolebrities if they don’t want law enforcement taking a closer look at their casting choices and how their production sources come up with these story lines. SMH again……

TT , Do you or anyone knows if Amber is aware of her husbands’ past history? And, his present job is with a mortgage company. That’s scary in and of itself. Amber’s husband acts like he has never done anything wrong.

So….Is it part of the audition/interview process at Bravo? Do they actively look for people who have experience in fraud and other crimes? This seems to be the trend with Bravo, as well as other reality “stars”. Does Bravo seek out this type, hoping they will continue while on the show, so they can be exploited for ratings later?

I cannot believe he got paid for heaven sakes!!! Amber’s husband does a REALLY BAD THING, and turns it around in his favor! Joe and Teresa will get “hooked up” with Amber’s husband to see if he can get them money after doing all their dirty deeds. They will want to take- a-page from Amber’s husbands book!!!

Tamera, Hello! Hope you are feeling much better!
Tamara, my question is why was Amber teaching her children proper etiquette while being taped? Was this Amber’s 1st. lesson of teaching them manners and which fork, etc. to use? I surmised by what Amber said, that she had already instilled proper etiquette in them. I must have missed something.

Holy crap..what a catch this Jim is..and now he owns a mortage company! Heaven help us!
I remember when the newbies were a “rumor” I thought “please NO criminal record..please have a history of paying bills..apparently that is too much to ask.

Your kidding right? Just google NJ and corruption and you will see alot of crap. That state is well known for it’s corruption. Also I wonder if she was the girlfriend in the federal papers. I would think not but you never know.

New Jersey is the most populated state and there are tons of transplants from a wide variety of nations, as well as from other states and NYC. “Corruption” is all over this country, from small towns to big cities. It’s not an exclusively “Jersey” thing. So, stop stereotyping, it shows how ignorant you really are.

@ dlister
the most populous state is Cali, followed by Texas. def not NJ.
NJ is recently in the new for corruption with most famously bridgegate.
IL too is known for corruption with all the mayors going to jail.

No all crooks do not live in New Jersey they are all over the worldit’s a well known fact that New Jersey is known for mafia crimes and other criminal activity but no we’re not all crooks!!! I lived in New Jersey for 40 years you are being very stereotypical where are you from

Seems like Amber’s husband Jim slides out of everything. And, he comes out smelling like a rose. If I was Joe Guid. I would stay so totally far away from Jim that he wouldn’t even know my name. Ditto for Mellisa and her Joe. This man lives to fight NOT with his fists, but by his wit and devious ways. scary to say the least.

Could you imagine if at the reunion Melissa or someone else says this exact statement to her. I would be gobsmacked and would have a new respect if they did. This type of crime goes beyond just stealing money. It’s really a new low for this show. Thank you for the information.

Do you mean the fictitious show, “Sopranos?” What does that have to do with the real New Jersey? Maybe you got the creeps because you don’t know HOW to fit in and you are stupid enough to believe in stereotypes.

Ha, TT! I’ll take that! I do have a lot of pride in my state, I know. It’s just so damn frustrating fighting this absolutely moronic reality-show stereotype, which should be obvious to all sentient beings that that’s just what it is. When I read comments that show neanderthal thinking, low IQ bimbos who believe it, it gets me all cunty, and I admit it. I have no patience for stupid twats, what can I say?

Tamera, Hello! Hope you are feeling much better!
Tamara, my question is why was Amber teaching her children proper etiquette while being taped? Was this Amber’s 1st. lesson of teaching them manners and which fork, etc. to use? I surmised by what Amber said, that she had already instilled proper etiquette in them. I must have missed something.

The twins on RHONJ (meaning the sisters) are soooo loud! It’s almost impossible to hear anyone else but them. I have BIG EARS.. LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY SPEAKING. Hah! And I can hear VERY WELL!! Those twins never shut up and they don’t take time to catch a breath! And, anybody that’s speaking to them can’t complete a sentence because BOTH the twins are constantly overriding the conversation of the other person speaking. The whole room is buzzing with a lot of conversational noise! Never seen it this bad. The sister’s are OK. They are just enthused about being on the RHONJ I believe. You can tell they are excited!

@Dlister being a proud New Jerseyan myself living in horse country on 15 acres, yes, it does exist those of you ignorant of NJ, it doesn’t help that the twins have bad Staten Island accents. So tired of us getting the “joisey” rap when that accent is pure one of the 5 nyc boroughs accent. Really tired when traveling & people say oh you don’t sound like you’re from NJ, and I respond because I am not from NY. (No offense to NY, but an accent is an accent – even all 11 Laurita/Manzo sibs are born & raised NY, not NJ natives).

You would think after what Teresa and Joe have gone through on RHONJ, the producers and/or Bravo would have done some background checks on these newcomers. Amber’s husband is nothing but a Snake Oil Salesman, offering cancer victims hope when there is no hope. He is the lowest form of scum. Bravo should be ashamed of themselves for putting money into the pockets of these people.

Seriously people HELLO! Thank you Shark for saying what should be obvious-why are people so surprised that casting would dare cast “people like that”? Of course they do!!! Do you think anyone is going to watch someone who handles conflict appropriately, pays their bills on time, or has a humble view of themselves? What a boring show that would be! They only cast show boaters, schemers, aggressive types-or anyone that someone in the current cast would not like.

I wonder if the cancer money maker is limited to the husband. Did Amber truly have breast cancer? I know of more than 3 actual celebrities that increased their fan base by going very public about having it. A nobody wantabe could use it as a ploy for attention or storyline that never had it. Some have made several episodes all about just the fear of being screened. Only your closest truly know.

Bravo reality TV application questions:
Have you had or are willing to have plastic surgery?
Do you have any close relatives who have bizarre sexual perversions?
Have you ever filed for or are in the process of bankruptcy? If not, please explain.
How much alcohol do you consume daily?
Are you willing to market tacky clothes, makeup, and accessories on HSN?
Is your marriage dysfunctional?
Do you have adult children or any relatives that are parasites?
Have you ever been or in the process of being indicted?
Do you hate your close family members and their friends? Please explain in detail.
Are you willing to have sex in the bathtub on live camera?
What is your favorite beauty accessory: (circle all that apply) spray tan. False eyelashes. Breast implants. Louboutins. Large sparkley jewelry. Duck lips. Collagen. Birkin bags. Hair extensions. Finger ratios.
Are you willing to ruin your marriage on live TV? May Bravo film your divorce?
How much do you use Facebook and Twitter?

Bravo Reality TV cast application:
Do you agree with the saying “Honesty is the Best Policy. Please explain in detail.
Have you or any family member ever been arrested or indicted for embezzlement, tax fraud, or other shady business deal? If not, explain why.
Have you ever had or are willing to have plastic surgery?
Do you have a spouse or close relative that is a sexual pervert?
What is your favorite accessory? Please circle all that apply. False eyelashes. Breast implants. Jewels in teeth. Birkin Bag. Spray Tan. Mink Coat. Robo Baby.
Do you consider yourself a cougar?
Is your marriage troubled/dysfunctional? Are you willing to divorce on live TV?
Will you consider having sex in the bathtub on live TV?
Are you capable of dancing on a bartop in 4” heels?
Do you have adult children or close relatives that are parasites?
Have you ever filed for bankruptcy? If not, please explain in detail.
Do you hate any close family members. Please give their names and ages.
How much alcohol do you consume?
What is you business plan for a stripper carwash?

This is a embarrassment to the whole state of NJ! Watching the tour of her house made me laugh out loud!! Her decor which she bragged about looked like crafts from Michael’s Craft store! Did anyone else notice how the step sons bedroom look so bare like no on lived there yet her 2 children’s rooms were decorated more!! Also her husband comes across extremely pompous! Bravo should just cancel the New Jersey franchise. I actually miss Caroline and Kathy. Even Danielle bought some excitement to the show!!!

I live in KC too and I remember pharmacist Robert Courtney, who diluted chemo drugs for his own profit. In his plea, he stated he needed to fulfill a million dollar pledge to his church (he was a deacon) as one of the reasons he basically cheated cancer patients out of days, weeks, months or even years of life left to them. My father was one of those.
The pharmaceutical industry makes huge profits on successful drugs. I guess some people just think that with all that money around, they deserve to get some any way they can. I don’t know if Jim from RHONJ is one of those people. It certainly doesn’t sound ethical to keep,work files I an offsite storage.

I just read this article and was shocked to realize that this is the same James Marchese that had issues with his mortgage company here in washington state. Mortgage Now inc was an issue here is Washington. Here is a link to the court papers. Slightly shocked that any ethical attorney general would work with someone who had been accused of doing unfair business practices in the mortgage business. http://www.dfi.wa.gov/CS%20Orders/C-10-350-13-CO01.pdf

So he was banned from the consumer loan industry in Washington state in 2913 and he moves to New Jersey and starts a mortgage company there?

My brother became a mortgage broker when he could not keep a job anywhere else. For some it’s a job of last resort. I suspect the same might be true here. Jim went to law school but is not in that industry (could he not pass the bar exam, maybe?), then he is blackballed out of the pharmaceutical industry (before the whistleblower case), then he gets banned from the loan industry in Washington state. What a mess!

Shame on New Jersey for allowing dirty pennies from other states to set up shop!